Want to know what actually goes on in Westminster? City A.M.’s writers have picked their favourite political books actually worth your time.
Left Out
By Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire
An informative and gossipy read that takes you behind the scenes of Jeremy Corbyn’s years as Labour leader. A great warm up or re-read ahead of the author’s sequel, Get In, due out in February, set to unveil the story of the party’s expected rise to power under Starmer post-election.
Picked by: Jessica Frank-Keyes, political reporter
How Westminster Works
By Ian Dunt
Rather than focus on personalities and court intrigue, Dunt takes the nitty-gritty of political life, from how bills are passed to the churn of the civil service, and shows how the real mucky stuff of political life is often hidden in the details. A caution against complacency, this book is comprehensive but also optimistic.
Picked by Anna Moloney, books editor
The Prime Ministers
By Iain Dale
Whenever I land on my death bed, one thing I will look back on fondly is writing a chapter for Iain Dale’s book on US presidents, a cracking companion to The Prime Ministers. Dale asked political and journalistic luminaries (and me) to pen chapters about every PM and President up until 2021.
Picked by Andy Silvester, editor
Who Dares Wins
By Dominic Sandbrook
What can cheese and snooker tell us about Thatcherism? Who Dares Wins, the final volume of Sandbrook’s series of British post-war histories, examines the drama of Thatcher’s early 80s government, whose politics remain contested to this day, with insight and character.
Picked by: Alys Denby, comment editor
Team of Rivals
By Doris Kearns Goodwin
Fancy venturing across the pond? Ten years in the making, this book follows Lincoln’s career and political prowess that enabled him to become President and then navigate the challenges of coalition. As much as a history of Lincoln, the pages are packed with personality and social commentary.
Picked by: Harry Owen, COO
Whips
By Cleo Watson
Whips brilliantly merges the murk and mystery of Westminster with the front line of politics, where good people are trying to do good things for their community. By throwing in some smut and leaving the rest to the imagination, Watson lets you build your own view of what SW1 is really like. Her second book, Cleavage, is on my holiday list.
Picked by: Matt Hardy, deputy sports editor